Time and Tenderness
by coffee dazed
Summary: Arthur/Gwen Feelings
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing to do with "Merlin", the BBC or any Arthurian Legends. This is a work purely for fun and is completely non-profit making so please don't sue!

** TIME AND TENDERNESS**

Of course she had been attracted to him, any red-blooded woman in her right mind would be, but he had left Camelot and she had returned to her very plain, very ordinary life as maidservant to the King's ward, with only what-ifs and maybes to distract her from her daily chores. Over time, her thoughts of the dark and handsome knight faded to the back of her mind and images of another had gradually taken over. Blond, blue-eyed and completely unattainable for one such as herself.

Ever since that fateful morning of the Prince's secret tourney and then the subsequent kidnap and rescue from the Mercian barbarians including the reappearance then disappearance of Lancelot, Gwen's head and heart had been a whirl of conflicting emotions. That she loved Arthur with all her heart, there was no doubt, but it was a love that would be forbidden in the foreseeable future and possibly beyond. No amount of heartfelt kisses and meaningful looks would change the reality of their situation and neither of them could see a way out of it. If anything, the events involving the Lady Vivian had made clear to the servant girl that boundaries had to be laid and that she could no longer fool herself into believing that there could be a future for them as a couple.

_Lancelot_. Gwen's hands paused in their work of scrubbing the day's load of linen in the large washtub. A small wistful smile softly curved up her lips as she remembered how earnestly they had declared their feelings for each other, how she thought that they had been given another chance to be together. The smile was gone as quickly as it had appeared when she recalled how she had woken up from her brief slumber only to be told by Merlin that he had gone, leaving only a few words as solace for her. The love that Gwen felt for the humble knight had been stronger by virtue of the fact that he _was _attainable, there was no conflict of social class and moreover, he was free to be open about his feelings towards her. However, all that meant nothing now.

* * *

The heir to the throne of Camelot watched as the young woman stopped her work to lift a soap-sud covered hand to push a stray lock of dark curls behind her ear and stretch her back before returning to the laundry in the steaming tub. Arthur remembered clearly the touch of those hands on his face as she entreated him to return to her alive from his fight with King Olaf. To him, Gwen's fingers had been soft as silk on his skin despite the fact that they were work-roughened from years of toil.

He found himself doing that a lot lately, finding excuses so that he might be able to see her albeit from afar. Today, he told himself that he had to see about the state of his shirts, never mind that Merlin took great care with his clothing and there was no problem with any item of his laundry. Yesterday, he had decided that he would personally deliver to the kitchen a boar that he had hunted that morning. The day before that, it was high time that he had a proper tour of the lower town so that he could check on the well-being of Camelot's people (in truth, he hadn't seen Gwen all day and wanted to find her).

Arthur sighed and his blue eyes grew a shade darker as his emotions took over. Watching from afar was all he could do. Gwen had set her boundaries and now maintained a proper distance from him, never allowing her self to be closer to him than was necessary nor to spend longer in his company than was appropriate. He could feel her drawing away from him and there was little he could do about it without risking his father's wrath, not to mention the likely repercussions on his kingdom as a whole.

He was also aware that it was not he but another who was responsible for the faraway gaze that occasionally appeared on Gwen's face and it hurt him more than anything to know that he was not the only one who had a claim on her heart.

Leaning against the gate to the courtyard of the laundry-house, the young Prince considered turning to leave now that he had managed to glimpse the woman that he held so dear and had taught him so much about himself. However, Gwen caught the movement of his stirring in her peripheral vision and their eyes caught as she lifted her head to see properly. She felt her heart skip a beat then lowered her gaze and bowed her head as she turned and dipped a low curtsey to Arthur.

"My Lord."

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**NOTE:** Sincere apologies for the cheesy title, had no idea what to call it and couldn't think of anything better.

Haven't written anything for ages so it's a bit of a slow starter.

Also, didn't really know where the story was/is going, it was just something I wanted to write down and I freely admit that there is no clear structure so please don't flame too much.

Other than that, I would like your opinions/reviews

x


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **See previous chapter

**Note: **Thanks for the kind reviews, glittery ones to mydoctortennant ;p I've no set plot for this fic, just writing and seeing where it goes so please bear with me…

Gwen tried to cover her shock by keeping her head bowed for as long as possible. One of the last places anybody would expect to see the Crown Prince was in the castle's laundry-house, the nobility had no business being there – in fact, Gwen would be more than a little surprised if any of them could even describe the inside of it.

With her breathing under control, the maid lifted her head while her eyes betrayed her puzzlement at Arthur's presence in this most unlikely of places.

Arthur coughed as he recovered from being caught staring.

"Guinevere." He took a deeper than normal breath as he straightened his back, adopting a more formal pose.

_

* * *

_

_Think, Think_, his brain screamed at him. He had to behave as if he had good cause to be in this place, after all, he basically owned it, why should he not be there? _Because you're the Prince, you idiot! You send Merlin and other servants to do your bidding. You wouldn't be caught dead here!_

She waited patiently for him to continue even as her mind replayed the sound of her name coming from his lips. Almost no-one else called her by her full name, she was always just 'Gwen', plain and simple, but to the man standing before her now, there was nothing plain and simple about Gwen.

Arthur's voice was steady and composed as he spoke. "I was looking for Merlin, one of my shirts has not returned and I wanted to see if he knew what had happened to it." He groaned inwardly, that was a rubbish excuse. Everyone knew that a noble, especially a royal, would simply wait for their servant to return from whatever task had been occupying them before berating them. He ignored the eyebrow that Gwen had been unable to stop from lifting skywards. Arthur continued gamely on, "Have you seen him? I was planning on wearing it for tonight's feast." _I am Prince Arthur. There is nothing unusual in wanting a shirt._ The blond man chanted this silent mantra all the time wishing that he was facing a horde of winged demons rather than the young woman who stood quietly bemused in front of him now.

"I am sorry, my lord. I've not seen him at all today." Gwen shook her head and bit her lower lip. The Prince's presence here was unsettling and his cool blue gaze made her feel like the dispensable servant that the world saw her for. Unable to continue meeting Arthur's eyes in case her feelings for him would make themselves known, she let her warm brown orbs settle somewhere around his nose, you couldn't think of noses as being particularly alluring – could you? _His nose is very fine, even noble, if you would pardon the pun. Ughh!_ She disgusted herself. She couldn't afford to behave like an infatuated teenage girl and especially not with the least available man on the planet for someone like her.

"Ah, I see", Arthur knew he had to end the awkward conversation, his mind was unable to think of anything sensible to say and the way Gwen was staring at his nose was making him self-conscious, leading him to recall how she had compared his snoring to that of a pig. "Well, if you do see him, tell him I'm looking for him." With that, he turned and walked away with what he hoped was a purposeful stride, leaving Morgana's maid staring after him, unsure of what had just taken place.

* * *

"And you call me hopeless!" Merlin muttered to himself as he folded the numerous items of clothing that Arthur had rejected for wearing that evening. He had bumped into Gwen on his return from the stables and she had told him of her extraordinary encounter with his master who the young sorcerer was currently helping to prepare for the feast which was being held in honour of Sir Leon's birthday.

Arthur heard the remark and threw his servant a glare but he remained silent. He couldn't really argue with Merlin – he had indeed been hopeless. The two young men had forged a close bond through their shared adventures and Merlin was not only his servant but his friend, the only person other than his father who he would allow to speak to him freely and without recourse. Of course, there were the many threats he made to Merlin's well-being should he ever speak his mind about Arthur to another living soul but he knew that there would never be a need to carry them out. The Prince was also glad that he had a friend with whom he could, grudgingly, share his confidences with even if he would never admit them to anyone else – he was royal after all and not subject to normal feelings, not publicly anyway.

Merlin looked over at Arthur, his blue-grey eyes speculative. "You know you're going to have to tell her. She's already getting suspicious, you know."

"What _are_ you talking about?" Arthur's tone was defensive.

"Gwen," replied Merlin, "she knows you're behaving out of character. She's seeing you in the kitchen, stables and now the laundry-house. What would the King say?" he couldn't help but smirk a little.

"My father knows?" There was a slight note of panic in the question.

Merlin took pity on the Prince. "No, but he will soon if you keep carrying on like this. You need to tell her how you feel, stop torturing yourself." The budding sorcerer knew well the impediments standing in the way of true love and he had already advised some caution but he was also acutely aware of the strength of feeling between his two friends. With no reply coming from his master, Merlin continued. "You can't keep following her around and then making terrible excuses. Other people are beginning to notice too, Gaius had asked me if you were feeling quite well." The slim young man drew a small phial from his pocket and offered it to his broad-shouldered friend. "He even brewed this draught for you to take."

Arthur's shoulders visibly slumped and he sank onto the edge of his bed before putting his face in his hands. Merlin was disconcerted, he had never seen the Prince react like this to anything before.

"I can't tell her, you know that." Arthur's voice was muffled. When he lifted his face, his expression was disconsolate. "You tell me that I can change things when I am King but that is always 'one day' and who knows when that 'one day' might be?" He furrowed his brow in determination and stood to face his dark-haired friend. "It cannot be. I must think no more of her." _Her_. He couldn't say her name for fear his resolve would instantly crumble.

Merlin's expression was a mixture of exasperation, sympathy and anxiety. Of course he had secrets of his own but he couldn't imagine what it must feel like to be unable to express his love for someone without the risk of the kingdom collapsing around him. Moreover, he wasn't sure that Arthur was doing the right thing by deciding to ignore his feelings for Gwen.

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Note: **ok, so that's chapter 2. Good, Bad or Scrap the fic? Let me know x


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** still don't own anything to do with the BBC series, characters or legends

**Note: **I think this might be going down the angsty road but nothing is certain, hopefully it won't get too bogged down with all this emoting!

* * *

_It's going to be a long night._ Gwen stood discreetly behind her mistress's chair, ready to tend to Lady Morgana's every need during all the revelry that was taking place in the Great Hall and every so often, Morgana would send her a small, reassuring smile. She considered Gwen to be more than just her maid, she was her friend and confidante as well and the noblewoman was not indifferent to the darker girl's well-being during such events. Celebrations such as these usually continued well into the early hours and servants were expected to remain alert to their superiors' needs at all times, remaining on their feet for hours on end and what scant rest they got would be taken long after their lords and ladies had gone to their beds. King Uther's ward quite often took this into account when making her decision to retire from festivities, indeed, she was usually glad to make such a decision as more often than not, the fair-skinned beauty would have been stuck with some arrogant young buck trying to impress her with tales of heroic adventures but succeeding only in boring her close to tears.

The maid appreciated her mistress's concern but wished she would relax more and find a suitor deserving of her attention. Gwen knew, through hearing talk from the ladies of the court, that people found Morgana to sometimes be aloof and unreachable despite it being far from the case. When she turned her cool grey eyes on somebody, many interpreted it as an appraisal of them rather than a defensive measure on the Lady's part. Morgana did not give her affections frivolously and she was savvy enough to know that there would be many men who saw her as an advantageous attachment rather than a genuine love interest. As a result, there were few who viewed her as a real prospect for courtship.

Looking around the Hall, Gwen never ceased to be amazed at the colourful confections that were the costumes of the assembled guests. The bright colours and flowing materials of the ladies' gowns and the (only slightly) more muted colours of the gentlemen made her think of the exotic creatures described in the fairytales of her childhood. Despite the number of people present, Gwen continually found her eyes drawn to Camelot's Prince and it troubled her to see the not-unexpected sight of attractive young noblewomen flocking around him, trying to catch and keep his attention. She pulled her gaze from him as Morgana signalled quietly to her and asked her to fetch a shawl whilst also gently suggesting that she need not hurry so that she might take a well-earned rest from her duties. Gwen gave her mistress a grateful nod and quietly slipped away towards her Lady's chambers.

* * *

True to his station in life, Prince Arthur was charming his way around the guests but in a new twist to his behaviour, he no longer sought the rapt attention of his audience, rather he was more than happy to aim such attention at the official recipient of the party, Sir Leon who was happily basking in the congratulations and good cheer of the assembly.

As he circulated around the many revellers, Arthur couldn't help but watch Gwen out the corner of his eye. He knew that she was pretty much invisible to everyone present but her gentle beauty constantly drew his gaze to her as surely as a moth to a flame. Subconsciously, he kept looking for her, worrying when he was unable to spot her then relieved when she reappeared in his view. The Prince suddenly became aware of the expectant air around him as he realised that his mind had wandered from the high-pitched gushings of the vapid blonde daughter of the Duke-of-somewhere-or another and she was now awaiting a response from him. The problem was, he hadn't the faintest idea what she had been babbling about. He gave her what he considered to be a politely amused look, smiled and commented on what a charming story she had just related and excused himself from her company on the pretext that he still had many other people to meet. The petite blonde was left with a confused expression – she had only asked him his opinion on the merits of blue clothing over green when out hunting.

"I can't take much more of this," muttered the Prince to his servant as Merlin refilled his goblet with wine.

"Sire?"

Athur gestured expansively around the Hall. "Silly women prattling on about the beauty of the summer and how lovely it would be to go for moonlit walks and 'oh, don't you think so too?'" He said this last part in a high, mocking voice. His top lip curled in a barely disguised grimace.

Merlin, shrugged slightly. "You never used to complain so much before…" He stopped as Arthur fixed him with a flinty look. "Um, well, at least Sir Leon is enjoying himself, right?" Merlin recovered quickly.

"I suppose so," Arthur grudgingly conceded. He walked over towards Morgana, Merlin a couple of paces behind as befitted his station.

Morgana looked up at Arthur, "Taking a rest? I thought you would have been lapping up the attention from the ladies of the kingdom." She grinned slyly at him, she had teased him about his popularity with the opposite sex for as long as he could remember.

"There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. I don't wish to overwhelm them so early in the proceedings," he riposted with a quick wink. Even though they did not always see eye-to-eye, they had spent much of their childhood together and thought of each other as siblings, enjoying the easy banter and teasing that came with it. Arthur looked around before casually asking, " Where's Guinevere?"

Merlin cocked an eyebrow at the question before replacing it with a studied mask of impassiveness as Arthur threw him a quick warning look.

"Hmm?" Morgana had been scanning the Hall with vague interest but had become distracted when her eyes met those of a young knight she had only briefly met at the start of the evening. "Oh, I asked her to fetch me a shawl earlier and told her to have a quick rest before coming back."

Merlin adopted an indignant look at her words. "You never tell me to have a rest," he said to Arthur accusingly who returned an equally indignant look.

"You don't do enough to warrant a rest," retorted the Prince, "and close your mouth, you look like a stunned carp."

The sorcerer closed his jaw with a snap as he fumed silently.

Arthur turned to Merlin, a relaxed expression on his handsome countenance. "Tell you what, why don't you take tomorrow off?"

Merlin's mouth dropped open again, this time with incredulity. "You're serious?"

"Yes."

"It's not a trick? You're not going to summon me at dawn to polish your boots and armour?"

"No."

"You're serious?" repeated Merlin.

"Yes!" Arthur's tone had taken on an exasperated note. "If you ask me once more if I am serious, I shall withdraw the offer. Now go bring me another drink."

"Certainly, my lord." Merlin grinned before ducking away to run his errand. Arthur smiled indulgently at his retreating form.

"Arthur Pendragon, you astound me. I never thought I would see the day you would give Merlin a day off," teased Morgana, only half-jokingly.

"My dear Morgana, you always underestimate the compassion I have towards my fellow man," he stated this with such righteousness that the young woman could only regard him incredulously until, "Besides, I think he does need a rest, I know he has been doing a lot of work for Gaius as well and I caught him falling asleep in the middle of grooming my horse the other day." He added with a mischievous smile, "Good servants are hard to come by, you know."

Arthur straightened as a sandy-haired knight began to approach the table, his attention directed at Morgana. Camelot's heir leaned down to speak more quietly to his father's ward. "It seems you are also not short of admirers. Hmm, they said you could be as charming as me when you put your mind to it, I just never believed it." He laughed as he dodged quickly away before she could aim a swat at him. Morgana settled for sticking her tongue out at him good-naturedly before assuming a more regal demeanour to greet the approaching knight.

* * *

With Sir Leon's birthday feast going swimmingly, the blond young man took the opportunity to have a quiet moment to himself and he made his way up to one of the closer battlements to enjoy some fresh air. However, he stopped in his tracks when he saw the silhouette of a certain curly-haired maid against the velvety blue of the night sky. Uncertain of what to do, Arthur could only let his eyes wander over Gwen's petite form, savouring this rare moment of seeing her at peace, her chin resting in her hands, elbows perched on the top of the stone walls.

He remembered his earlier resolve to try and forget about her in _that_ way even though every fibre of his being strained at him, urging him to scoop her up in his arms and carry her away. Taking care not to disturb her reverie, Arthur Pendragon, Prince of Camelot, crept silently back down the stone steps and once more entered into the bustle of the feast.

Although her eyes had been shut in the stillness of the night air, Gwen's hearing had remained alert and regardless of her best intentions, she was completely attuned to Arthur. She knew his every footfall and his mood depending on how loudly and/or quickly his boots sounded as he moved. Gwen's ears had picked up the faint scuff as he ascended the battlement, no noise for a few moments and then the softest of sounds as he padded very lightly away.

Her heart begged her to call out to Arthur, to ask him to stay with her a while, to pretend that just for a short time, they were the only people on the world who mattered and that nobody cared that he was a prince and she was a servant. But she did not call out, they were far from the only people in the world and it _did_ matter that he was a prince and she was a servant.

Brushing away silent tears, Gwen gulped a few deep breaths, adjusted Morgana's shawl over her arm and made her own way down to the Hall.

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**Note: **a slightly, unsatisfying ending to this instalment but it's just the way the story went as I wrote, I should really plan what I write but I don't :p

Anyways, let me know what u think, u know what to do

x


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **see previous chapters

**Note: **have raised rating to 'T' simply because it covers all the bases just now and saves me having to remember to do it later if necessary.

It's really just some gratuitous Arthur descriptions to lighten the mood from tonight's more sombre penultimate episode and to be fair, can we really complain about Bradley James's body??!

* * *

The son of King Uther of Camelot eased his aching body into the steaming bathtub which his manservant had just prepared for him. He had spent the best part of the morning practising forms with the castle's swordsmaster before moving onto the 'lists' for jousting practise with some other knights, both Camelot's own and visiting ones. He closed his eyes and sank lower into the water, enjoying the sensation of his sore muscles relaxing under the influence of the hot water scented with citrus peel.

When the water finally cooled to a temperature slightly below his idea of comfortable, Arthur Pendragon reluctantly roused himself and reached over for the towel that he had hung carelessly on a nearby chair. It quickly became apparent that one towel would not suffice for drying himself and mopping up the volume of water he had inadvertently sloshed over the floor.

With his customary lack of patience, Arthur decided that it would be quicker and simpler to bellow down the hallway for his servant rather than waiting for him to return to tidy away the bathing things. He carelessly rubbed at his hair then wrapped the towel about his toned hips, quickly pulled open his door and stuck his head out, ready to summon Merlin.

Arthur had only just voiced the first syllable when he spotted Gwen approaching, only the topmost curls of her head visible as she concentrated on keeping tall pile of linens balanced in her basket as she walked briskly and straight towards him!

Whump!! The topmost linens fell to the ground as she collided heavily into her kingdom's Crown Prince. The poor girl was rushing out apologies as she tried to gather the scattered material back into her basket. It was only when she lifted her eyes to see who she had quite literally bumped into that she felt the blood drain from her face and she was left speechless.

* * *

While it was a sight the maid never expected to see in all her life, it was nevertheless not unwelcome. Arthur's blond hair was damp with stray bits sticking out from his head and Gwen could see drops of water clinging here and there to his muscular shoulders. As if under a strong enchantment, the young woman let her eyes follow a droplet that was trickling its slow way down his well-sculpted chest and onto his stomach.

_Oh my, in all that was good and holy! _Dark brown eyes widened to saucers as they continued to follow the path to his waist and then lower to smooth skin of his hips and the sharp 'V' of his pelvis which led to….

_EEEEP!!!_ Gwen felt the blood rush back to her face as she dragged her gaze to Arthur's face. If there was any justice, Gwen would have welcomed the floor opening up and swallowing her right then and there. She could have died of embarrassment – she had not only been clumsy enough to knock into the Prince but then to blatantly ogle at him, well, that was just unheard of!

Arthur had been as surprised as Gwen when she crashed into him and he was also embarrassed that she had caught him in such an un-regal state of undress. However, that soon changed and he couldn't help but feel a bit proud and smug with himself as he realised the manner in which she was so carefully studying his body.

"A-Arthur, uh, my, um, lord. My lord." Gwen gave herself a shake, trying to force her brain to function at least a little bit. "I'm so sorry, please forgive me." She bobbed a curtsey and made to move past him but he put out a hand to halt her progress.

"Guinevere, your timing is actually impeccable," his tanned arm reached out to pluck a large drying sheet from the now-untidy bundle of material spilling over the top of her basket. "I was just about to call Merlin to get one of these. Thank you." With an easy and sincere smile, he drew the newly-acquired item towards him, stepped back and closed the door of his chamber, leaving a very stunned ladies' maid standing alone in the hallway.

* * *

Leaning on the other side of the heavy oak door, Arthur let out a long, slow breath. He thought he had managed to extricate both of them out of a particularly awkward situation with minimal fuss. Arthur had seen clearly the swell of Gwen's bosom as she had drawn deep breaths in an attempt to compose herself and he had valiantly fought the almost overwhelming urge to pull her, linens and all, into his chamber.

He gave himself a stern talking-to as he quickly got dressed. He was going to have to try much harder if he was going to get over his feelings for her!

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Note: **yup, that was all about style and no substance! Am also trying to update quicky to make the most of time available before going back to work


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** see as before

**Note:** ahem, having, got last time's moment of frivolity and weakness for a fine specimen of the male form out of the way, back to the business of moving Arwen to the happy union we know they have (at least in the beginning anyway)

Many lovely thanks too to reviewers: mydoctortennant ; Sweety1516 ; Babybee61; archeress of silverbow ; ArthurXGwen

I've also taken some license with Gwen's background just cos I needed an easy plot device – apologies if it conflicts with anything

* * *

The King of Camelot smiled benignly over his assembled guests who had gathered for the annual springtime celebrations to welcome in the anticipated (and hopefully) bounteous new crop. Various Lords and Ladies from throughout the kingdom had been arriving over the last few days and Uther was especially pleased to see his son and heir apparently making overtures to the copper-haired daughter of the lord from one of the southern border estates.

For some time now, Uther had been considering the future of his kingdom when Arthur would take his place on the throne. He had watched his boy mature into a brave and honourable young man worthy of his title and status but there was also a need to find a suitable bride for him to continue the Pendragon line. As was expected, there had been the odd dalliance here and there with daughters of the realm though nothing serious had ever come out of them. Indeed, more often than not, Arthur would be found galloping off on mission or other with a band of trusty soldiers and his servant or if he was not away, the only female company he really saw him with was Lady Morgana and her own maid, what was her name again?, ah yes, Gwen.

At last, there appeared to be some progress on the romantic front and Uther thought that his son could do worse than the woman who currently garnered his attention.

* * *

On Arthur's part, he believed he was doing rather well with the whole 'let's not think about Guinevere' tactic. He occupied much of his time with training, hunting and fighting the odd rogue beast who, now and again, invaded the land. When not busy with such things, he would flirt with the occasional pretty young thing who came visiting Camelot. He considered these to be harmless diversions and on the whole, his strategy worked but more often than he liked it was during the dark nights, if and when he was alone, that his thoughts would turn to a certain young woman whose soft caramel skin, full, warm lips and gentle dignity set his pulse racing and made him want to surrender his soul to her.

Merlin, on the other hand, was not so convinced. He knew the way his friend and master's brain worked and it amused yet confounded him to see Arthur stubbornly ignore the one person his heart had already claimed as his true love. In addition, it distressed him to see the effect it had on his friend and fellow servant, Gwen. He knew that Arthur and Gwen had made some type of mutual agreement to stay apart from each other but nonetheless, he could not help but feel his heart break for the maid whenever she noticed the Prince openly charming and sweet-talking another woman.

* * *

She thought she would have gotten used to it by now, especially since it had been she who had made the first move to back away from the potentially disastrous situation but it made not a jot of difference, each time she saw him with someone else, the pain she felt in her heart was as sharp and as new as ever. There was nothing for it, she had to get away from the castle for a while – time and distance being a great healer and all that.

As luck would have it, Gwen received word from an old friend, the midwife who had delivered her in fact. When she had been much younger, Gwen had taken comfort from the kindly woman who the little girl had looked on in some ways as a substitute mother and when able, she had followed the midwife, helping and learning what she could. As time passed, before Gwen was given a post as maid to Lady Morgana, she became an invaluable help to the older woman and after the girl's relocation to the castle, the midwife had moved to an outlying part of the kingdom where her services were more urgently required. This new message informed Gwen that her beloved mother-figure's health was not so robust now and it had become a particularly busy time for birthing new babies. In short, the woman was asking for help and she could think of no-one better than the young woman she had known from birth.

It was a request and an opportunity that Gwen could not pass up and her mistress had been more than understanding, positively encouraging her maid to go to the assistance of someone's greater need. Morgana arranged a horse for her friend and ensured that she was equipped with enough supplies for the two-day ride to the west. With promises to each other to keep safe and well and to return safely, the young women embraced and Gwen set off towards the imposing town gates. On her way there, she met Merlin who was returning from yet another of Arthur's seemingly endless errands. He looked quizzically at her as he took in her travel garb but his slender features cleared as she explained.

Merlin looked at the ground as he self-consciously scuffed the ground with the toe of his boot. "Have you told Arthur?" He enquired, tentatively.

"No," was Gwen's quiet reply, "there wasn't time and it isn't so important that he would wish to know."

Merlin said nothing but she could see the disagreement reflected in his dark blue-grey eyes. He sighed slightly before asking, "How long will you be away?"

"I don't know, just however long I'm needed, I suppose." She smiled uncertainly.

The young man refrained from adding that she was also needed by those at the castle. Instead, he wished her luck, told her he would miss her and she was to return as soon as possible.

* * *

Having returned to the castle, Merlin was now engaged in the monotonous task of polishing Arthur's armour while the Prince himself was pondering on how best to progress with his new copper-haired friend. He had joined his servant in the armoury as he wished to have an audience to listen to his ideas.

Having stayed silent throughout Arthur's scattered suggestions, the sorcerer waited until there was a pause after the latest idea to show her the finer points of boar hunting at an ungodly hour of the morning.

"I saw Gwen today," he began without looking up from his work.

"How is she?" Arthur paused before asking. He regarded his servant closely and could see that there was something else by the way Merlin continued to be extra focused on buffing the steel to a high shine.

"Well, um, she is well." More buffing and a longer pause. "She was leaving." He blurted this last statement quickly.

It took the blond man several moments to process this piece of information.

"What do you mean, leaving? Where was she going?" Arthur took care to keep his voice under control, his expression neutral when what he really wanted to do was grab his servant and shake the information out of him.

As he listened to Merlin's information, Arthur's heart rate slowed to a normal pace and he felt a bit calmer. He was shocked by the strength of feeling he had when he thought that he might never see Gwen again and even now, he was still more than a little hurt knowing that Gwen had not stopped to see him before she went.

Although, he had now been actively distancing himself from the maid, he still found that he would look out for her, hoping to catch a glimpse of her as she went about her duties, perhaps able to meet her gaze which she always kept firmly fixed to her feet whenever he was present.

"Look on the brightside," Merlin's voice cut into his thoughts, "At least now you have the chance to really get over her."

"Huh?"

"Your new love, object of your affection." The dark-haired boy smiled brightly even though he didn't believe his own words for a second.

"Oh. Yes. I suppose so." Arthur turned back to stare distractedly out of the window, a million thoughts running through his head. _Was she safe riding out alone?_ Although the peace treaty had been holding strong, there was a perpetual threat of bandits. _When would he see her again? Would she even inform him herself when she did finally return? What if she didn't feel the same when she came back…came home?_ There, he said it – even if it was only inside his own head. Camelot was her home, more specifically, inside this castle beside him. Arthur could not imagine never seeing Gwen's sweet smile directed at him again despite their cool relations lately, and it damn near killed him to even consider the vague suggestion that she might find love elsewhere. It had been bad enough seeing the way in which she had looked at Lancelot and held his hand even as he and Merlin made good their escape from the Mercians. Had the handsome, humble knight not left as he did, Arthur wasn't sure what he would have done. _No, this situation could not go on. He had to make some changes lest he drive himself mad._

Faced with the prospect of not knowing when he would see Morgana's maid again, Camelot's heir decided that his attentions to his new lady-friend would become more earnest and so he began to fire out more ideas of romantic gestures.

Merlin held his tongue, he knew that to again voice his opinion on how Arthur should confront his love for Gwen would only aggravate the Prince and reinforce his resistance. The sorcerer's eyes clouded as daily memories of Freya came into his mind. Having lost a true love, Merlin knew just how precious time could be and how much could be lost by not acting upon the here-and-now.

_

* * *

Ok folks, let me know ur thoughts_

_x_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **this is a non-profit making work, I own absolutely nothing to do with the show, corporation or legends – just imagine the havoc I could wreak if I did! :p

**Note:** thanks again to reviewers, u know it makes me happy :D x

* * *

It had been three weeks and there had been no word from Gwen apart from one occasion towards the end of the first week when Morgana had despatched a rider to the small town in the west to bring back word of her maid. Gwen had sent a letter expressing her pleasure at hearing from her mistress, that she was settling well in her new setting and the volume of work was keeping her busy enough that she could not specify a time when she would be return and that she hoped that her Lady would understand. She had added that she also sent her regards to Merlin and the Royal Household.

It had hurt Arthur more than he imagined that Gwen had not mentioned him by name despite logic telling him that it would have been highly irregular for a person of her status to imply any over familiarity with a member of the royal family who she did not serve directly.

Since her departure, the blond Prince would stare hopefully out of the window each morning for not insubstantial amounts of time and every time would eventually turn away with a dejected air. Arthur had no idea that he would suffer so much from the absence of a servant, particularly one who did not even serve him directly. Gwen, however, was not just any servant - she had become more than that. She had risked her life for him (saving him from a giant flying monkey gargoyle), she had risked her reputation (hiding him in her home when he had wanted to prove his worth by competing anonymously). Above all, though, she had taught him many important lessons about himself and in doing so, had helped make him a better heir to Camelot's throne and more importantly, had made him a better man. The combination of her quiet dignity, earnest honesty and steadfast faith in his abilities to always make the right decisions in the face of adversity had quickly led him to value, nay, love her in a way he could love no other woman. To Arthur, Morgana's maid was the most beautiful creature that walked the earth and there was nobody else that could even come close.

* * *

…And therein lay the problem. The Prince's attempts to distract himself from his private misery had meant that his attentions towards another woman had become perceived by everyone to be the build-up to the prospect of a new future Queen of Camelot. Everyone, that is, apart from Arthur's trusted friend and servant. Merlin could see that his master's actions would have no happy-ever-after ending if he continued along his current course.

Arthur Pendragon gave his reflection a critical look as he straightened his shirt sleeves, pulling them out from the cuffs of his surcoat whilst Merlin examined him with a concerned expression.

"What is it, then?" Arthur asked with a long-suffering sigh.

"My lord?"

"You've been looking at me for the past ten minutes as if I had just grown two heads, so what is the matter with you?"

"Well," started the sorcerer, "you're meeting her ladyship again."

"Yes, I'm just going to show her some more of Camelot's landscape. What's your point?" The Prince was used, by now, to his servant's roundabout way of making a point and he knew when to ask Merlin directly in order to save time and energy.

"Well…you see…" Merlin was trying hard to think of the best way to phrase his words.

"Come on, just say whatever it is you want to say." Arthur tapped his foot impatiently.

"Um, alright then, everyone thinks that you're getting married."

"What?" Arthur was disdainful. "Don't be absurd, Merlin."

The latter stood his ground, it was high time he voiced his concerns to Arthur, before it was too late. "I am _not_ being absurd." Merlin kept his tone even. "It's the talk of the castle."

Arthur shook his head as if he were an adult trying to explain something to a dim-witted child. "Really, Merlin, you shouldn't listen to gossip, I thought you would know better."

"Arthur!" Merlin was stern and it took these rare moments of absolute seriousness from him to get the blond heir to pay proper attention. "It's not gossip. Your father, the _King_," he stressed, "has already sent word to the royal jeweller and goldsmith that his services may be required in the very near future."

The Prince's expression changed and he looked at Merlin with shock as realisation dawned on him. "No!"

"I assure you, yes. In fact, it's probably the talk of the kingdom – you know how quickly news spreads." Merlin cocked his head slightly and regarded him quizzically. "So are you? Getting married, that is."

"No!" came the horrified reply.

"Alright, just checking." This was said with a shrug.

"But…but how?" Arthur stammered with shock.

Now it was the darker man's turn to patiently explain. "Because you have been spending more time with only one particular young lady and no-one has ever known you to do so with anyone else in the past. Therefore, a great deal of significance has been attached to this observation." He pursed his mouth thoughtfully before asking, "Are you thinking of marrying her?"

"NO!" Blue eyes widened in disbelief. "How can I think of marrying someone else other than…" Arthur stopped himself only for Merlin to complete the sentence for him.

"Gwen." Merlin couldn't resist a satisfied grin in the face of his master's unfolding predicament. "I knew it wasn't true."

"Merlin," he stalked over to him with a desperate look on his face, "you need to help me. What am I going to do?"

Merlin felt sorry for his friend who had a similar look to that of someone who found themselves backed into a corner when they least expected it.

"For a start, you need to stop seeing her as often, actually, probably not at all would be the best option at this moment in time." He looked away as he added, "I also believe that the lady in question has been to consult a dressmaker."

Arthur's expression became gloomier. He had only been trying to forget about Gwen, not trying to pursue a potential bride!

"Secondly, you must speak to the King and tell him that you are not intending on marrying the lady he is thinking of."

The only response was a despairing groan.

* * *

"Gwen, my dear."

Gwen looked up at the smiling face of Hannah, the midwife, who had just entered the small cottage where Gwen was staying at the present time. Although, she was enjoying seeing her old friend and learning new skills, the maid was missing her life back at the castle and she missed her friends, not least the blond Prince of Camelot.

"Yes, Hannah?"

"My dear, have you not heard the good news? A kinsman who has just returned from the castle brings word of glad tidings."

Gwen sat patiently, she had grown accustomed to her friend's exuberance which meant she always took a short time before saying anything she wanted to share.

"Prince Arthur is to be wed! Isn't that exciting?"

The young woman could only stare blankly at Hannah before fixing a terse smile and nodding. Inside she heard a pounding as blood rushed to her head and she felt as if her heart had sunk to the soles of her feet. She could not believe her ears!

_

* * *

Ah, if only love ran smooth! Lend me ur musings_

_x_


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **see previous chapters

**Note: **so after brief hiatus with Christmas nights out and work parties as well as to work on other ideas, the saga continues…

* * *

"Damnation!" Arthur hurled his longbow to the ground and scowled furiously at it. He had missed what was considered an easy target distance for him but the arrow had shot wide of its mark. In truth, his concentration had been lapsing lately and Merlin knew full well the reason for it.

Gwen had been away from Camelot for well over a month now. There had been no more further word from her and with each passing day, Arthur's temper had become shorter and his jaw could, more often than not, be seen to be clenched. The blond Prince turned to fix a glare on his servant which Merlin returned with exasperation. He was tired of Arthur using him to vent his worries for Gwen and it was time for it to stop whether he was a servant or not. Merlin had just about reached the end of his tether with his master's petulant behaviour.

"Arthur," Merlin barked his name so abruptly that the Prince was taken aback. "Why don't you just go and get her instead of making my life a misery?"

"How dare you speak to me like that? I'll have you flogged!" Arthur was more than indignant.

"Oh, stop your nonsense, Arthur. You know full well why you've been acting like a bear with a sore head these few weeks." It was time for some straight talking and the dark haired sorcerer was going to finish what he had begun. "Ever since Gwen left, you've been more overbearing and irritable than usual. You're pacing that floor so much that you're going to wear the stone out and fall through it!"

Arthur could only gape as his servant and friend continued his tirade.

"Honestly, if you want to know so badly how she is, go and find out! There's nothing to stop you." Merlin sighed resignedly, he knew had had gone too far and that he would likely be scrubbing armour day and night for the rest of his life.

To his surprise, once Arthur had regained his composure, he clapped Merlin on the shoulder then exclaimed, "Pack the bags and prepare the horses! We ride immediately." He grinned enthusiastically then began pulling out clothes and items which he might need for the journey.

* * *

Gwen knew she had stayed longer with Hannah than had been necessary but she preferred to busy herself with midwifery duties rather than deal with the prospect of facing Arthur when he was to be another woman's husband.

She found herself crying silently most nights before falling into a restless sleep. The maid felt tired and drained but it was nothing compared to the heartbreak she was feeling now. She wanted to run, to keep moving on as she did not think she would be able to manage working at the castle whilst every day seeing the man she loved with somebody else. Gwen made up her mind to send a note to Lady Morgana asking for more time.

One small consolation was that the young woman's presence had not gone unnoticed by some male members of the community, especially one carpenter who lived nearby. Over the last few weeks, he had been paying her close attention, bringing her small gifts of flowers, a little carved figurine of a mythical winged horse, anything just to be able to talk to her, be close to her.

Gwen was not so blind as to see that he was good-natured, good-looking and would treat her very well but it was not he but another who her heart called for. On the other hand, her brain told her that she could do a lot worse than to accept this man's affections when her hopes of another love were now dashed. Also, she quite liked this little town, it had a peace and serenity which the castle town did not possess and she could see herself living there quite happily. It was time to start thinking more about her future, particularly since she had lost her own father to Uther Pendragon's paranoia.

* * *

Arthur could feel the nervousness building inside him as he and Merlin crested the hill and looked down upon the small thatched houses that nestled in the valley below. He couldn't wait to see Gwen's sweet smile again, just the thought of being near her made him more relaxed already. The two men shared an excited, boyish grin before tapping their heels to their steeds' flanks and galloping down to the little community which currently housed their friend.

* * *

The Prince was brimming with confidence. In such a little community, it was easy to ask directions to the midwife's home and he and Merlin could see smoke spiralling cheerily from the chimney belonging to the cottage in which Athur's love lay. It was time to bring Gwen home.

However, the spring in Arthur's step was halted by the sight of well-built man with his hand placed familiarly on Gwen's arm, his face close to her ear as his lips formed words which brought a smile that lit her face. They were standing in the small front garden and he was presenting her with a single red rose.

Merlin saw the jealousy that washed over his master and he felt sympathy for the pain that entered Arthur's sapphire eyes before he quickly hid it. Arthur straightened his back and coughed as he approached the cottage with Merlin following quickly after him.

"Guinevere."

He was the last person in the world that she expected to see here but it made her no less pleased and her stomach was all a-flutter with butterflies. Gwen had no idea how he did it but in just that one word, her name, Arthur had managed fill it with a warmth that she didn't know could exist but she knew that it felt right.

As if she was just aware of his presence, Gwen looked at the carpenter and discreetly but significantly moved her arm away from his touch but she could not hide the rose in her hand nor miss the faint look of hurt and confusion that crossed her suitor's face before being replaced by an air of challenge to this newcomer who had so easily stolen the attention of the lady he was trying hard to win.

"My lord." She inclined her head deferentially even as she gave Merlin a questioning look.

Seizing the upper hand, Arthur looked directly at the carpenter before adopting the tone of a man who knew he was born to privilege and nobility and was not afraid to show it.

"I am Prince Arthur Pendragon of Camelot." There was a slightly imperious note to his voice and Merlin could barely stop himself from rolling his eyes at Gwen. "I don't believe we have been introduced."

Upon hearing the full title of the man before him, the challenge left the carpenter and he also bowed towards his lord and master. "Sire, I am your servant, Kirin. I am a carpenter, my lord."

"Ah, I see." Arthur gave him a condescending smile which even the two personal servants of Camelot found hard to take seriously from the once-very arrogant royal. "Well, I am sure you have much to do this day."

Kirin did not fail to hear the dismissal in the Prince's statement and he bowed once more to him before turning to Gwen and asking in a low voice that the other two men were still able to hear. "I shall see you this evening?" The hope in the question was unmistakeable.

With uncertainty, Gwen could only give a placating smile at as she answered, "I'm not sure. If I am able to." It was all she was able to offer Kirin, she did not yet know what manner of reason had sent Arthur to her - perhaps Morgana required her return. It was also not in her nature to give someone false hope, a promise which she could not be sure to keep.

Kirin left the little group, already knowing that he could not hope to keep Hannah's new assistant with him. The light that had lit her person when she saw who the new arrivals were told him all he needed to know.

* * *

After a full minute of his two friends staring at each other with wonderment in their eyes, Merlin cleared his throat awkwardly before saying loudly, "I'll just go tend to the horses then. I'll meet you back here."

They acknowledged him briefly without looking at him.

"What are you doing here?" Gwen's voice was quiet as she broke the gaze and looked away. She couldn't stop herself, "I must give you my congratulations."

"Huh?" Arthur had no idea what she was talking about.

"On your impending marriage." Gwen forgot how thoughtless and insensitive Arthur could be and her sense of outraged hurt returned to her.

"Guinevere, have you completely taken leave of your senses?" Arthur scoffed as her expression became more bewildered.

_

* * *

Ok, that was a kinda weak instalment but I couldn't think of another way of moving Arwen on. Hope it didn't disappoint too much. Will work on boosting the next part._

_Reviews will be gratefully received_

_x_


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **As before

**Note: **apologies for the very short chapter, just needed enough to move along to the next stage

* * *

Arthur chuckled in amusement at Gwen until he saw that she was far from pleased. He quickly rearranged his expression to one of solemnity and tried to keep a straight face.

"Guinevere, I'm sorry but I haven't the faintest idea what you are talking about." Arthur reached out for her arm but she stepped back from him.

_Ooh, the nerve of the man!_ Gwen had allowed the blond Prince to hold a place in her heart and she had not forgotten the hurt when he had seemingly trifled with her affections, albeit under a powerful enchantment. That he could so insensitively brush her emotions to one side again was too much – and not just her, if the reports were correct (as she believed) then there was another poor maiden somewhere who would also get her heart broken.

"You are getting married." Gwen said it slowly, allowing each word to sink in.

"I most certainly am not," denied Arthur, firmly. He hadn't realised just how quickly news and rumours could travel through the kingdom and it was imperative that he dispel such a story from the head of the pretty young woman who had long since captured his love. The Prince could also have happily kicked himself for letting the situation back at the castle get out so out of hand.

His voice softened, became earnest as he held Gwen's deep brown eyes with his sapphire ones. "Guinevere, I know the story you have heard and I beg you to believe me when I tell you it is not true."

Gwen desperately wanted to believe Arthur but she had suffered as a result of his careless actions before and she couldn't take another crushing disappointment. "Then why?"

The Prince looked away for a moment. _How could he even begin to articulate how or why he had unintentionally yet intentionally courted a lady of noble bearing in order to try and forget about the maid who had so completely taken over his every thought and action. _In short, he had behaved like a fool.

Arthur took Gwen's work-roughened hands, silently marvelling at how small they looked in his own sword-calloused ones. He also loved the way her warm dark skin contrasted with his own paleness, mirroring the stark contrast between her lowly station in life and his high-born role. In that instant, he knew that there would never be anyone else who could compare to her.

"Guinevere, I was an idiot. I let my feelings run away with me and she was there…"

"You are telling me you lacked self-control?" Gwen interjected in disbelief.

"Well, yes."

Gwen's eyes widened.

"I mean, no," he added hurriedly. "I mean, not like what you think." Never in his life had the young royal been so lost for words.

The maid drew away from him, her arms crossed in front of her. "And what, pray tell, do I think?"

Arthur felt his calm demeanour quickly shattering. "Nothing happened. Nothing like _that_," he stressed.

Gwen remained looking unconvinced. It called for more decisive action.

The broad-shouldered man impulsively pulled a startled maid close to him. "I know it how it looks but I promise you, it was not how it seems to you now. I…I…was trying to forget you, I didn't want to think about how I felt about you not being near me." He leaned back slightly to look her squarely in the face. "I am here because I can't stand being apart from you any more."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **wish I owned 'Merlin' but I don't so in the meantime, I hope TPTB don't mind me playing with them a little

**Note: **lots of Christmassey and tinselly thanks to everyone who has been reviewing, u keep me on the right track of how the fic is going. Also, a special nod to Casualp . hope ur studies get back on track soon :D x

* * *

Stunned. The word didn't begin to cover what Gwen was feeling at the moment. Her brain barely processed what the handsome heir to Camelot had said to her, her powers of speech and movement temporarily lost as she could only stare at him with her mouth agape.

"Huh, I wasn't aiming for the village idiot reaction," deadpanned Arthur.

Gwen blinked slowly before seemingly coming back to consciousness. She was belatedly aware of being pressed close to his chainmail-clad chest and despite the metal, she could sense the warmth that lay beneath. The maid's focus was also distracted by the sensation of strong arms holding her securely to the man who had occupied her dreams and fantasies for so long.

"Gwen," Arthur did not often use her abbreviated name.

He let the fingers of his right hand trace the line of her jaw before stopping under her chin to angle her face up towards him. Time seemed to slow almost to a standstill as she watched him lower his head, his eyes focused on her soft mouth. Gwen felt herself tilt her head and lean up to meet his approaching lips with her own. Arthur felt her fingers run through his hair as her lithe body rose to press against him as the soft kiss became more passionate and they both sensed the urgency that fuelled the kiss.

After what seemed like forever but was really only a few seconds, they parted with both taking a deep, recovery breath.

"Arthur." Gwen's voice was barely a whisper. "I wasn't sure that I would see you again."

He shook his head in confusion. "I don't follow."

"I was going to write and say I was going to stay on here, um…indefinitely." She broke the gaze and lowered her eyes to the ground. "Em…when I heard you were to be married." If the Crown Prince had not been watching her lips as she spoke, he would have questioned whether he had heard her say those words at all.

A soft smile appeared on his face. "And now?"

She looked up shyly, "I can't stand to be apart from you either."

They were interrupted then by a loud cough and turned to see Merlin standing to one side, a happy knowing grin on his face as he looked at his friends.

Having made her decision to return to Camelot, the three friends stayed the night in the village so that Gwen could say proper goodbyes to the friends she had made during her time there. In the morning, Morgana's maid hugged Hannah warmly before riding out of the village back to the kingdom's castle city. Behind her, from the security of his own cottage her would-be suitor, Kirin, watched her leave with wistfulness and thoughts of what might have been.

* * *

The three companions had been in good cheer on the first part of their two-day journey but as they neared the imposing white castle, the group's mood became sombre. They stopped for a last rest before completing the final few miles. Sitting around the small campfire, Arthur jabbed distractedly at the flames with a long stick whilst Gwen stared into the middle-distance and Merlin watched them with concern before finally breaking the gloomy silence.

"It might not be so bad, you know." Merlin said in a too-bright voice.

"No," replied Gwen, "it will be far worse."

"For once, he might be right." Arthur was unable to disguise the forced optimism in his tone.

The young woman sighed. "Stop it, both of you." She directed her next statement at Arthur. "Your father will never agree to this. There can be no 'us'."

Gwen and Arthur respected the sorcerer too much to exclude him from a conversation which they knew he already knew about. The two men said nothing, aware that she was correct. The only thing the King felt as strongly as magic about was the rigid guideline that dictated the etiquette between social classes. In other words, the nobility ruled and the lower classes were there to serve them and absolutely no more.

With little else to say, the three sat for a while longer in melancholy silence before setting off again.

* * *

It was dusk when they passed through the city gates and unusually, Arthur assisted the two servants to stable the horses before Merlin bade them goodnight and made his way to the quarters he shared with Gaius. Left alone, the two normally self-assured people suddenly found themselves acting like awkward teenagers, flickering shy smiles at each other then looking away.

Eventually, they sat down close together on a straw bale, arms touching. Arthur examined his hands closely as he tried to think of the next thing to say but his attention was roused when he felt movement beside him then the comforting weight of Gwen's head as she laid it on his shoulder.

He smiled down at her and took her hand in his, fingers interlacing. There was an easy silence for a few minutes before Arthur spoke.

"I'm going to tell him. I'm going to tell my father."


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **see previous chapters

**Note: _gwyllgi_** - a Welsh creature of legend, appears as a black dog with red flaming eyes; generally a portent of death

* * *

Even the guards posted outside the thick oak door winced a little as they heard King Uther Pendragon of Camelot rage at his only child and heir inside the King's private chamber.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!!" roared Uther as his son stood silently before him, stoically weathering his father's storm of fury. It was, after all, no more than he had been expecting.

Arthur let his mind wander as his ears tuned out the particulars of his father's tirade, waiting for a break in the rant so that he might try to explain further.

Gwen had pleaded with him not to go to the King just yet but Arthur's mind was made up – he had spent too long avoiding his feelings for the curly-haired woman and until he had arrived at the outlying town to fetch her, Arthur hadn't realised how close he had come to losing her. He felt sick at the thought of never seeing Gwen again and the time had come to make known his love for her.

He returned his attention to the present as his sire stood in front of him. "You cannot, you_ will_ not do this." Uther's voice was dangerously quiet.

"I have already decided. My lord." Arthur's tone matched the steel in his King's.

"Then you shall be disinherited. This kingdom has always been ruled by nobility and that will never change." Never in Uther's wildest fantasies did he think he would ever be having this conversation with his son. It had been surprise and disappointment enough when Arthur had informed him that no, he would not be getting married to the copper-haired young lady all the land thought he had been courting with serious intent. This, however, surpassed all previous surprises. And disappointments.

This last statement, Arthur had been expecting but to hear it spoken aloud still hurt him deeply. He stared straight ahead, focusing his vision on a point on the wall. "Very well, if that is your wish."

Uther's voice softened, became pleading. "Arthur, my son," he beseeched, "it is not my wish but it cannot be any other way if this is the course you choose to take. Camelot is an old and noble kingdom built on honour and dignity and must be ruled as by such."

"Guinevere is as honourable and dignified as any of Camelot's knights and nobility."

"She is a _servant_."

"Not to me. My heart belongs only to her and I can think of none other more deserving." Arthur paused for a moment, considering his next words. "Father, Sire, the hour is late and it seems there is nothing more to be said this night. I bid you goodnight and hope to find you more reasonable in the morn." With that, the younger man turned and strode smartly out of the room leaving his father speechless with anger.

* * *

"Well?" asked Merlin of his friend. He already knew when Arthur told him what he was going to do that things weren't going to go well – he just didn't know how badly.

"Could have been better but as expected, I suppose." The Prince sat on his bed, the confrontation with his father had left him more shaken than he thought and he really wasn't sure what future lay ahead. He knew his father well enough to recognise that the King's threat to disinherit him was not an idle one.

The sorcerer said nothing, instead, silently sympathised with Arthur.

"Merlin?" There was a hesitancy in Arthur's voice. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"What is it?" Merlin couldn't remember ever seeing the blond man this unsure of anything, not even when facing certain death with the Great Dragon.

"That girl Freya. You cared a lot for her didn't you?"

"Uh huh…" Merlin became a little more guarded. Arthur knew his servant had been fond of the druid girl but what he did not know was that the slender man had been prepared to give up everything to begin a new life with Freya in a place where no-one could find or persecute them.

"Would you have done anything for her?"

Merlin's blue-grey eyes closed briefly and when he opened them, they had darkened to a deep grey and were focused on memories of his lost love.

"Yes," it was almost a whisper. "I would have died for her."

Arthur watched Merlin contemplatively. He had not realised how deeply his servant and friend had felt for the girl and he never ceased to be amazed by Merlin. He would never admit it but he relied a lot on Merlin's support and friendship and he hoped that it was returned.

The two men completed their evening preparations in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

Gaius stood patiently as his King continued to vent his frustration, pacing up and down the throne room.

"There's nothing for it, the girl will need to be sent away, Morgana will simply need to find another maid." Uther turned to the elderly physician. "Well?" he demanded.

"What would you like me to say, Sire?"

"I want you to tell me that you agree with me!"

Gaius took a few moments to choose his words as Uther waited expectantly. Finally, he spoke. "My lord, as you know, I have served your family for many years, for yourself and for your father before you. I watched you grow from an obstinate and determined boy into an equally determined and stubborn man and I think it would be safe to say that Arthur takes after you in many respects."

Uther looked at the older man in bemusement. "That wasn't quite what I was hoping to hear. You have more to add?"

"Arthur shares your personality more than you think. Do you remember the time when you were fifteen and you went tearing off after the _gwyllgi_ in spite of your father's dire warnings against it?"

The King could not help but smile at the long-ago memory. His cousin had reported sighting one of the dreaded black dogs and the teenaged Uther could not resist an adventure to find out the truth of their existence. The old King had expressly forbidden any such attempt due to the fact that it would lead him to the dangerous borderlands where fighting with the neighbouring kingdom had escalated into ferocious skirmishes and the chance of death was quite real. Nevertheless, Uther had gone, sword in hand and he had returned safely but only after finding that the 'black dog' that had been seen was actually his cousin's family hunting dog which his cousin had disguised to lead Uther on a wild goose chase.

"That was different."

"I agree, a different situation, but I was merely trying to illustrate how similar your temperaments can be. If you drive him away, you will never get your son back." Even as his words left his mouth, demonstrated their similarities, Gaius also saw their stark differences. Uther's almost fanatic adherence to the ancient codes of behaviour were born partly of his own father's attitude but more so, it had come from the consequences of his bargaining with the witch Nimueh and the need to use the sons of all the noble families to protect Camelot from magic.

Arthur, on the other hand, was not weighed by such chains of guilt. He had the vigour and wonderment of youth (even with the responsibilities that came with his position in life) and though he wasn't conscious of it, the Prince had inherited not only his mother's fair looks but also Ygraine's openness to life and all the possibilities that lay within.

"A servant cannot be worthy of such a role," Uther maintained stubbornly.

"Sire, I must disagree. I know Gwen and there is no truer soul than her. You question how worthy she is of Arthur's love but you might also ask if he is worthy of hers."

"That is your honest opinion?"

"It is, my lord."

* * *

Several days had passed with relations between King and Crown Prince remaining tense to say the least. Uther had been trying to find out as much about Morgana's maid as he could and all reports he got were impeccable. The only fault, if you could call it that, was the fact that she was a servant.

The young woman at the centre of the conflict, meanwhile, had been keeping a low profile tending to her duties as usual and really only having contact with Merlin. Gwen had tried to avoid Arthur, she was very conscious that the King was scrutinising her every move and would not look kindly upon seeing her and his son together.

As she walked along the courtyard path, Gwen let out a yelp of surprise as an arm reached out and pulled her into an alcove. Arthur put a finger on her lips to quieten her then replaced his finger with a tender kiss.

"I haven't seen you all week," he admonished her gently.

"I know," she replied sheepishly, "but I couldn't, it's not right." She held his hand, clasped it to her. "I have missed you, you know."

"I should certainly hope so," he teased her with his most arrogant tone. Arthur became serious. "Gwen, do you trust me?"

A worried crease appeared between her brows. "Of course, I trust you with my life." Her voice took on a note of suspicion. "What are you doing?"

Arthur checked quickly around him, "Meet me tonight at the stables, after the last bell sounds from the gates. Dress warmly."

* * *

Gwen pulled her cloak tightly around her against the cool night air.

"Psst. Guinevere." Arthur's hushed voice came from a corner of the stables before her Prince appeared leading two horses, both saddled and behind them, another two packhorses, laden with various bundles and items.

Gwen looked at him in alarm. "What are you doing?" she hissed quietly.

"We ride. Tonight. We can go anywhere you please, we won't need to pretend anymore." There was a feverish glint in Arthur's eyes.

"Arthur, you're insane!" Gwen gestured at the horses. "we can't just leave, what would the King say? Merlin, Morgana, everyone."

"They don't matter. You're what matters to me and if we cannot be together here, then we will go elsewhere. Guinevere, I don't want to be King if I cannot have you as my queen."

The love and sincerity that shone from Arthur melted Gwen's fears and doubts. She knew that she could never be without him. "But I haven't had a chance to say goodbye."

"I know," he said quietly, "but there's no time. I left a letter, my father should find it tomorrow." He held out his hand to her. "It's now or never."

Gwen smiled gently at him, all her love and trust there for Arthur to see as she took his hand and they hugged tightly before moving to mount their horses.

* * *

From the shadows stepped a tall and imposing figure.

"Arthur Pendragon," a strong voice boomed.

The young man, with one foot in his stirrup, turned at the sound of his name and his face blanched. Behind him stood Uther Pendragon, a stony expression on his face as he held up a roll of parchment.

"What is the meaning of this?"


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **as before

**Note: **this is the final and very short chapter. After a lot of consideration as to how I would finish this fic, here's how it goes…

* * *

Arthur stood down from his horse and faced his father.

"The letter explains everything. There is nothing more." The Prince moved to stand protectively in front of Gwen who was looking anxiously from father to son.

"A letter? After everything, all you would leave is a letter?!" Uther was incredulous. He turned his attention to Gwen. "And you, you also left letters?"

Gwen chewed her lower lip, unable to think of what to say. "I..uh…"

"Leave Guinevere out of this," interrupted Arthur. "She did not know of my plan until today. I asked her to come with me and she accepted." He fixed his sapphire stare on the older man. "I love her and I will not give her up."

King Uther studied the two people standing before him. For the first time in a long while, he saw the man that his son had grown into and he also caught glimpses of the person that he was to become. At the moment, he was presented with the sight of a determined young man, proud to stand up for his beliefs to protect the one he loved. Truly, Gwen must be someone very special to have such an effect on the young royal. _Perhaps it would not be so bad to have a servant as part of the family. _Uther made a mental note to look into the geneaology of Gwen's family, there might some noble line lurking about somewhere. Uther knew it was time for some change. For all of his imperfections, one thing that made the elder Pendragon a wise ruler was acknowledging when flexibility of attitude was required (except when it came to magic, of course!).

"Arthur, Gwen, come back inside. Please. I think we have a lot to talk about." The King's manner was conciliatory. He had no desire to lose his son and far better to gain a daughter whom others held in high regard.

The young couple shared a startled look and obediently followed Camelot's ruler into the main body of the castle. It was going to be a long night ahead of them and there would be much to discuss, share and laugh about in the days, weeks, months and years to come. For the time-being, however, it appeared that Arthur Pendragon had won the future queen that his heart desired.

**

* * *

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**Note: **firstly, I would like to apologise to anyone who was expecting this last part to be a long, dramatic affair so I'd like to take this chance to explain why I did the opposite.

I don't write my fics with a set plot in mind, I never do drafts or make notes beforehand – only tweaking of spelling and grammar afterwards, everything u read is what my over-active imagination churns out at the time. I start with a vague idea of what I would like to imagine happen and sort of go from there and I'll come up with ideas for later chapters as I go. That's kinda why I can update really quickly with some fics whilst others will take a while to complete..but back to the matter in hand…

A lot of my decisions with this story, especially this chapter, were pre-determined by the Arthurian legends themselves – we all know the story: Arthur and Gwen _have_ to get married; Morgana _has _to become evil and join with Mordred; Gwen and Lancelot have an affair; etc, etc.

Therefore, I felt that it was enough in this case to take Arwen to the stage where Uther will accept this version of the couple (the Guinevere of legend already being of high-born nobility). From there, I make it up to the readers to decide for themselves the exact dialogue and other actions which will eventually lead to the wedding of Arthur and Gwen. Also, I wanted to keep the precise details vague as I am super-keen to know how the show does it and am afraid that my attempt will just end up as a lot of endless waffling with no substance.

Hope this clears up any misgivings you might have about this fic. Perhaps I will write a more embellished ending in a different fic.

In any case, thanks to everyone who has been following this story and hope that it has been enjoyable for u.

:D xxx


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